The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A RETIRED police investigator denied a defence attorney’s suggestion that he was on a “fishing expedition” when he and a team of officers searched vehicles allegedly belonging to Adrian Gibson in Long Island.

Damian Gomez, KC, Mr Gibson’s lawyer, cross-examined Bradley Pratt as the criminal trial resumed yesterday.

He honed in on the warrant police had to search Mr Gibson’s property.

Mr Pratt, a retired police superintendent, was one of several investigators who travelled to Long Island in 2022 to investigate Aaron’s Rental –– a company Mr Gibson owned –– and properties allegedly belonging to the former Water & Sewerage Corporation (WSC) chairman.

According to court documents, the search warrant allowed officers to look for fraudulent documents, electronic devices, cell phones, dangerous drugs and firearms, among other things.

Mr Gomez asked the retired officer why he was looking for firearms.

When Mr Pratt began explaining the purpose of a search warrant, Mr Gomez interrupted him and said: “This is a fishing expedition. This is not a search warrant.”

“Your attitude, as indicated from the box there, indicated that you were taking a chance.”

Mr Pratt denied this, saying he knew what he was doing.

Mr Gomez said: “So you didn’t find any electronic devices. You didn’t find any cellphones. You didn’t find any stolen property. Why did you believe that my client stole any property?”

Mr Pratt responded that there was a possibility.

He said “no sir” when asked if police had a seizure order, prompting the attorney to say: “And you nevertheless removed the vehicles from where they were physically present when you visited the property.”

The witness agreed that the vehicles were removed, but denied that the seizure was illegal.

Mr Gomez asked if he had checked to ascertain Mr Gibson’s income from the WSC. The witness said other investigators dealt with that.

Mr Pratt also admitted to not knowing if Aaron’s Rentals had a bank account.

Mr Gomez asked: “From your own knowledge, what proof do you have that the vehicles that you seized were appropriated by a criminal act?”

The witness said documents he received showed “the movements of certain funds and how they were used”.

Mr Gibson is facing money laundering charges concerning his tenure as WSC executive chairman under the Minnis administration.

He is charged with former WSC’s general manager Elwood Donaldson, Jr, Joan Knowles, Peaches Farquharson, and Jerome Missick.

Mr Gomez, KC, Murrio Ducille, KC, Bryan Bastian, Ryan Eve, Raphael Moxey and Ian Cargill represent the defendants.

Meanwhile, the Crown’s prosecutors are acting Director of Public Prosecutions Cordell Frazier, Cashena Thompson, Karine MacVean and Rashied Edgecombe.